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Photo gallery: Minors also a training ground for umpires with big-league dreams

 
Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, and Taylor Payne, 24, head for the locker room after the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, July 5, 2017.
Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, and Taylor Payne, 24, head for the locker room after the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, July 5, 2017.
Published July 21, 2017

Taylor Payne, 24, and Tom Fornarola, 23, are two of the 23 first-year umpires scattered around the bottom rungs of minor-league baseball this summer. They never met until they were assigned together but quickly developed a strong rapport. Like the players themselves, the two umpires have dreams of reaching the major leagues. The process could take anywhere from seven to 10 years with no guarantees.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpires Taylor Payne, 24, left, and Tom Fornarola, 23, grab breakfast at their hotel in Clearwater before getting on the road to call a Gulf Coast League game in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, July 5, 2017.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpires Taylor Payne, 24, left, and Tom Fornarola, 23, grab breakfast at their hotel in Clearwater before getting on the road to call a Gulf Coast League game in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, July 5, 2017.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Tom Fornarola, 23, and Taylor Payne, 24, collect their equipment in their hotel room in Clearwater before heading to their game in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Tom Fornarola, 23, and Taylor Payne, 24, collect their equipment in their hotel room in Clearwater before heading to their game in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, and Tom Fornarola, 23, unload their gear at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, and Tom Fornarola, 23, unload their gear at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, unpacks his suitcase of gear before at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, unpacks his suitcase of gear before at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, and Taylor Payne, 24, rub up baseballs before the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, and Taylor Payne, 24, rub up baseballs before the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, dabs a spot of mud on his palm before rubbing up baseballs for the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, dabs a spot of mud on his palm before rubbing up baseballs for the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

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WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, rubs up baseballs for the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, rubs up baseballs for the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, and Taylor Payne, 24, pull on their gear before the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, and Taylor Payne, 24, pull on their gear before the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne's plate brush and indicator seen at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne's plate brush and indicator seen at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, heads out of the locker room for the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, heads out of the locker room for the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, brushes off home plate between innings during the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, brushes off home plate between innings during the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, and Taylor Payne, 24, facing, talk before the start of the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, and Taylor Payne, 24, facing, talk before the start of the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, holds up the count during an at bat in the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, holds up the count during an at bat in the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, watches a pitch during the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, watches a pitch during the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, pours water down his shirt between innings during the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, pours water down his shirt between innings during the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, heads off the field after calling the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Taylor Payne, 24, heads off the field after calling the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, wipes the sweat off his face as Taylor Payne, 24, checks his phone after calling the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.

WILL VRAGOVIC | Times

Umpire Tom Fornarola, 23, left, wipes the sweat off his face as Taylor Payne, 24, checks his phone after calling the Gulf Coast League game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at the Tigertown complex in Lakeland, Fla.